KayTheMagnificent wrote:As a big blink fan over AVA... I hate California and Parking Lot is more of the same. terrible production, terrible lyrics, nonsensical repetative elements (nanas and whoas shoved everywhere, pointless gang vocals) its just gross at this point.I don't know whats worse, Tom not giving a shit about music remotely or Mark and Travis having a writer-for-hire with Feldmann and producing tweeny music for money.

an attempt to stay relevant to their target market.

The music is pathetic and it's disappointing to see. It's a massive step backwards, when blink always had uniquness and class.

It lacks passion and meaning. So many upcoming bands out there that are actually putting passion in what they are making and deserve the media attention and the hype on material they are releasing.

I've been thinking about the Blink thing for a while and I know I posted a big thing a while ago about California, so I'm not sure if I'll repeat anything here.

It took me a while to truly enjoy the album, and while I stand by every comment I made about it being pretty mediocre, I just enjoy it now. However, I think a lot of people are kind of missing the point of it. People keep criticizing California for being simple with lame teenage girl lyrics, a step back from what Blink "should" be now, and mixed like All Time Low or other equally shallow popular bands in a relative scene right now. I don't think any of those points are wrong, but I think it's all exactly what Mark (and maybe Travis) has wanted for a long time. He wants to be popular like Blink used to be, but the scene has changed and he clearly wanted to change as well. Now they can get the All Time Low fans, they can be somewhat radio friendly, and they just write fun songs and be that "cool" band that everyone rejoices over for their big "comeback." If you pay any attention to Mark's social media, he's been a trendy guy in the music scene for a while, and he probably just wanted Blink to be as mainstream as possible again. The mixing on the album is as "perfect" as possible and that makes it easier to embrace for a larger audience, much like the lyrical content. Less language, simple concepts, and lots of lines about being sober (or not). It's also simple enough that a lot of longtime Blink fans are embracing it and happy to relive their younger days of mostly carefree music.

Point is, I think they're doing exactly what Mark wanted to do for a long time, but wasn't able to because of Tom. I enjoy the music for what it's worth, but I also long for deeper, more mature material like Neighborhoods at the same time. I wouldn't be at all surprised if their next album is much more interesting an experimental because Mark isn't a bad song writer and Skiba definitely isn't. It's just that they wanted to go purely vanilla and rebrand this time around, so they stayed as familiar as possible while embracing a new scene and image for the band.

Everyone has their opinion and I think a lot of them on this subject are completely valid. You don't have to love it or hate it, it's your choice. But I do think anyone who does nothing but criticize doesn't really get that having someone like Feldmann as producer to make "tweeny music for money" is missing that that's the whole point. And as far as getting back in the picture, they've done that extremely well. Another Neighborhoods type release would not have had the same result.

Is this really an angels and airwaves fan site? I see you people are the same people from blink-182 online.com. It's funny how much hate and vitriol you people can dump onto one person. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Joan wrote:Is this really an angels and airwaves fan site? I see you people are the same people from blink-182 online.com. It's funny how much hate and vitriol you people can dump onto one person. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

as far as im aware none of us are from blink182-online except for like brendan and kay. but we all agree that site is cancer a lot of the time.

What does everyone make of this then? I think he's tugging on his fans heartstrings to keep them occupied cause he's got no book to release. I don't even think I would be excited for a 2nd Boxcar Racer album.. a small Boxcar Racer tour however? I'd be into that a lot. Or even a one off show, that'd be cool. I don't think we'll get anything like that until Mark let's him back into blink, if that ever happens.

I originally joined 182online a month after the Grammy announcement in 2009. Then I joined here that fall. Then I left 182online and went to blink182online a couple years ago because everything was dying. It's the only place still kind of alive. I enjoy it for the most part. AVAs ded. Tom's really faded from interest in the music realm, he needs to do something quick. It's weird seeing him active now and no one cares. Four years ago people would be flipping out.

NotNow wrote:I originally joined 182online a month after the Grammy announcement in 2009. Then I joined here that fall. Then I left 182online and went to blink182online a couple years ago because everything was dying. It's the only place still kind of alive. I enjoy it for the most part. AVAs ded. Tom's really faded from interest in the music realm, he needs to do something quick. It's weird seeing him active now and no one cares. Four years ago people would be flipping out.

Literally I cannot believe how disinterested I am with Tom. Anything he posts causes me to sigh rather than feel any ounce of excitement.

I honestly never visited blink-182online before, I'll check out some of the discussion there for when this drops. I hardly visit here or 182online anymore. I pretty much just stick to the chorus.fm forums.

Just listened to the deluxe version (I only listened to Parking Lot before).

Misery is the best song here and it's not even close for me. Other standouts are Last Train Home and Long Lost Feeling. I would enjoy Good Old Days or Wildfire for example more if we didn't already have a 16 song album with that Feldman produced, generic pop punk "write songs in 5 minute" sound. There is no life to them since that sound has been done to death. 6/8 and Bottom of the Ocean I can appreciate for branching out and trying something new, even if I don't necessarily love them.

My overall issue is the idea of writing songs in an afternoon. It gives no time for lyrics to develop and become something more with depth. This negates me from returning often.

Overall I hope this closes the door on this sound. They did their sound and have done it to death. Next time lets move on to a new producer, with different ideas, lyrics, and ambitions!

PS: I don't know if it's a good thing if the Bored to Death acoustic version is the most rewarding part of the album for me?

I just gave the deluxe edition a listen, I'm a bit disappointed. I had only really heard Parking Lot and 6/8 before going into it, Parking Lot is okay but 6/8 reminds me of Stockholm Syndrome or Obvious, which is the direction blink-182 really should think about heading towards. I love 6/8, it's so different for them.

Unfortunately, after that it seems to be the same old. Right back into the early All Time Low-esque music. Bottom of the Ocean is a nice change up, but it reminds me of Fighting The Gravity which was an awkward ending to a fantastic album. Bored to Death acoustic is a nice little bonus, but it's one of the most boring songs on the standard edition. I would have preferred an acoustic version of She's Out of Her Mind or San Diego.

Also I'm already sick of that EOFS/TOYPAJ riff.. you know the one that starts off Bored to Death, She's Out of Her Mind, No Future, San Diego, Don't Mean Anything, Wildfire and Long Lost Feeling (which is a mere half step up from Wildfire..). Quantity over quality. This is why Tom spent so long writing his songs after TOYPAJ. Sure, he's released drivel in the past, but it's barely ever been a 27 track album of fillers. I hope they really consider taking a different route after this album.